Extract from victims of success
There are men and women who broke the cyst of barrier to become known in their world. They may have humble beginning but by the uncommon virtue of discipline, determination, diligence, God’s grace and someone’s sacrifices, they were projected to the realm of greatness. These ones are great instruments in God’s hand if available. However, devil seek to make use of them also, still based on availability. Such men at the state of usefulness to the devil in their privileges are “victim of success.”

The fact that only few locate the apex of the triangle of success will generate some attentions. These attentions are responded to in two major ways: praises and criticism. It is very difficult to shut men’s mouth to laud accomplished people. Someone or some people will attempt to nail you also; either such takes delight or really wants to proof a point, men will sing praises of exploit and some will attempt to sink these accomplished people. Singing of praises and sinking of fame is unavoidable ministry of men administered to every successful men and women!

Praises and criticism are common, they may not be easily avoided neither can successful men avoid other men. God has not created a man who can live successfully without others. There are three major categories of people living in the surrounding of the successful people: the friends, the flatterers and the foes. They all make use of praises and criticism. The friends tell you when you had done admirably but will not fail to tell you what you have done wronlgly. They do not hold swords to kill you, but they will always tell you all you need to hear. We all need friends in any rung of the ladder of failure or success we may be at the moment. We need friends. We will always need friends. People we can share our updated visions, failures and successes with as we walk the roads that are likely going to be spoiled by the flatterers and foes. We need friends; men and women who will stay with us when others had willingly back out as did to Jesus in John 6.66-69. They may not be many, highly educated or rich, but they are there in all the messes, miracles and the mixtures of both, we need these faithful men and women for a successful ministry.

It is impossible to live without the remaining groups, the flatterers and the foes; these necessitate the need for caution. These ministries of men, not all men anyway, are very destructive and had fallen great men in all success’ shores. We need to learn from the Lord Jesus Christ “ but Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men and needed not that any should testify of man for he knew what was in men John 2: 24 Flatterers are friendly foes that just tell you what you want, or may love to hear always. These flatters are into various categories: you have the yes men, praise singers, traitors and betrayers.

It is easier to gather these praise singers, friendly foes than real friends in your endeavours and anticipations. Man love to be admired by all men. We want to be accepted by every body. This temptation had led people to institute the association of friendly foes: flatterers, in their various successes’ groups just like King Ahab. Unconsciously, men will gather around your success; these flatterers are going to be the largest number because men love to associate with success. This will bring men around your fame.

Pride, envy, ignorance and desire to please men will bring some committed critics along your fame also. Such will attack all that concerns you. Unkind comments will be fired directly by hatred and it will attack directly or indirectly. Your private life, gifts, ministry, home, visions and friends will be attacked. It is aimed so you may shift ground of principles that aid your success, drop courses or reframe your vision. Flattering and criticism are great instruments in the hand of devil and men are used in this bid.

It is necessary to know some certain things about all human being. It makes us easily fall victim to the use of the instrucments of flattering and criticisms and show why men are easily used for them both; master of evil is behind the scheme

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Unregenerate man is depraved, even regenerated souls have deal with carnality until such had visited the cross as written Gal 2: 20 and the experience is common and consistent. Else, he is likely going to be used as a friendly foe or foe of successful men easily or easily affected by the ministry of flattering and criticism.
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Men love to be admired by every one. This is the reason why some will join the group of flatterers or some will be disappointed when some speak against their visions, actions and promotions. You cannot be admired by all men, if your course is a threat to devil’s Kingdom.
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Men have natural tendency to be self centred. We inherited this in the Garden of Eden. By this men attack those who have the glories.
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Men are dynamic, only few keep the standing long . You hardly can boast of permanent friends. I must say it is necessary where necessary to stand the right and truth, but be sure that the sake for which men had to pitch their tents with you or desert you are in the right course.
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Authority, privileges, opportunities and power intoxicate most men only very few have learned how to manage all these well.
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Men are very forgetful when they are successful. They are likely going to ignore some admirable and valuable virtues, instructions and commandments.
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Men generally dread hardship, rigour and troubles. We cannot imagine facing such because of the threat of men and women that may want to leave us, for such we may compromise vital issues of life, it is a scheme of the devil to be flattered or criticized
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Ninety nine percent of what men love is always in contradiction to what God love. In order to achieve this, we do employ flattering or criticism or make ourselves available for use.

Hearing what you want to hear and not what you need to hear is dangerous and hearing someone hit you hard without love also cannot but be experienced in this world. However, it is very important that it is set up by devil to achieve the following:

1. To change your focus through pride, fear and distractions. You may abandon the course, the vision and the assignment.
2. To frustrate every good intention you have here.

“ And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets with joy and with instruments of musick and the women answered one another as they played and said Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands and Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him and he said they have ascribed unto David ten thousands and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 1 sam. 18:6-9

This was the beginning of David’s problems. Every exploit will be compensated with praise no doubt, but how these praises go and the understanding of men in charge matters. If God is missing there, it ushers in fresh troubles; devil will always take up the chance to cause such trouble. Many great kings like Ahab have worked out their own failure because of the instituted flattering prophets. It is really good to learn how to consolidate strength in success, where flattering and criticism will but be present. This we must learn from Christ, although not fully exploited in this piece, but the few shared are relevant.

Stay always in His presence, you will see beyond flattering and criticism when you stay with him up there

Be sincere to yourself and God.

Seek only to please God. Where necessary you can cross friends, friendly foes and foes; for the truth you cannot loss God’s friendship and this is ultimately necessary. God determines the majority, even when numerical you are just with the God, His son and the Holy Spirit. That team has never failed, so you cannot either.

You are only a medium, when men throw the glory, pray the praise through till it is submitted at the his feet. You must send them to God right away but this you teach some lessons and yourself.

Let God have all the pains and the praises. Bear and give all it the criticism and praises. Many things you cannot handle alone regardless your experience. Go always with God in all these and it shall be well with your soul.
Shalom